“‘A rat,’ said Phi, ‘must judge by what has been done, not by what is meant. After all that has been done by cats to rats, it will take a long time to make rats believe that cats mean rats no harm.
“‘I fear we shall not get any rat to direct us to the abode of Mistress Furpurr.’
“Phi was mistaken. Soon after, in passing a barn they heard much stir and scampering inside. ‘Wherever there is a stir and a scampering,’ said Phi, ‘we may be sure there is something going on inside.’
“Mouseroun was eager to enter, but Phi held him back lest harm might befall him and himself stepped forward.
“‘Rats,’ he whispered, as he stepped back.
Taken in a Trap.
“There were six rats inside the barn; a father, mother and four children had come to visit one of the family that had been taken in a trap. The mother looked in at the front of the cage, the father looked down from over the top. As Mouseroun and Phi drew near, the father, mother and four children fled to their holes.
“The rat in the cage when questioned by Phi, said he had been told by his parents not to go in, but he thought he knew best, and he did not believe the trap would shut down so quick.
“Did he know where Mistress Tabby Furpurr lived? and would he tell?